Every Step of the Way
by DeiaSM
Summary: The changes in M&S relationship following the events of The Unnatural
1. Ice Cream Memories

Title: Every Step of the Way  
Category: V, post-ep, M/S UST (for now)  
Distribution: go ahead, just let me know  
Spoilers: The Unnatural  
Disclaimer: Not mine, not making any money of it  
Summary: The changes in M&S relationship following  
the events of The Unnatural

Author's Note: This is the first part on a serie of   
vignettes and takes place right after the end scene   
of The Unnatural

Thanks to Sallie for being a wonderful and supportive  
friend and beta.

Dedication: This one is for Kimmie. A belated birthday  
present for someone I'm very proud to call my friend.  
Love ya, sweetie.

* * *

**Every Step of the Way**

**Part 1: Ice Cream Memories**

'Happy Birthday, Scully'  
  
The simple words sent a shiver through Scully's body.  
Ordinary words for anybody who looked, but they had a  
very different meaning for her. It wasn't her birthday  
and the person that left this card knew it all too well.

In the past couple of months she celebrated her  
birthday at least a dozen times, but she wanted this  
evening to end differently than the previous ones. It  
was time.

She sat at her desk absently stroking the card with  
her fingertips, her contemplative eyes were fixed on  
the wall, without really seeing it.

2 months earlier 

"Shut up, Mulder. I'm playing baseball."

The fact that he had indeed done as she said should  
have been warning enough that something was up, and  
she didn't mean the something that she could feel  
happily snuggled against her backside.

They continued to play for nearly an hour. His moist  
breath at her ear, sometimes at her neck. She could  
almost feel his lips brushing her skin, but not quite.

For the first time in years she left her FBI Agent  
persona - aside from the suit she was wearing - to be  
a woman, and a happy woman at that. It was  
exhilarating. She couldn't stop the giggles even if  
she tried, and she was certain her partner was  
enjoying this side of her as much as she was. She  
had forgotten how good it felt to be this carefree. 

When it was time for them to leave the field, he  
unwillingly disengaged his body from hers, leaving  
Scully with a sense of emptiness. She saw in his eyes  
that he felt it too.

"Come on, Scully. I still have something to give you."

"Should I be afraid?"

"Ouch, Scully, you wound me. Did I ever give you  
something that scared you?"

"Not this year."

"Very funny. Keep that up and you won't get  
anything."

"Sorry, Mulder." She looked at him with mock  
contriteness.

"If you think you're fooling me, you're wrong, but  
since you were a good girl this year..."

"Mulder, it's supposed to be my birthday gift, not  
Christmas."

"Would you stop interrupting me?" He waited a few  
seconds. "Thank you. Actually it's not a gift exactly,  
it's... well come with me and you'll see for yourself."

She looked at him with an eyebrow arched.

"Come on, Scully. You're gonna like it, I promise."

"Okay, let's see what it is."

They had walked three blocks when he stopped.

"Here we are."

"Mulder?"

"You're gonna taste the best ice cream you've ever had  
in your life, Scully."

She looked at him incredulously.

"Don't look at me like that. And don't even begin to  
tell me how much you like that tofuti crap you were  
having earlier. Not until you try real ice cream."

She decided indulging him was her better option and  
entered the little shop. It was neat and comfy, with  
an old-fashioned look about it. Scully turned to  
Mulder, a quizzical expression on her face.

"Where did you find this place?"

"Frohike. The little guy is crazy for ice cream and  
knows all the best places. This one is my favorite."  
His eyes were warm and she was mesmerized by their  
gleam. Her mouth was dry and she couldn't trust her  
voice at that moment, so she nodded and followed him.

True to his words, the place had the most delicious  
ice cream she had ever tasted. Mulder was pleased.  
Sometimes it was so simple to make him happy. Scully  
smiled at the thought. Mulder could be the most  
annoying person in the world at times, but he was  
also the most gentle and caring.

"What is it, Scully?"  
  
"What is what?"

"You're far away from here."

"No, I'm not. I was actually thinking how good this  
feels. You know, just going out, having fun, having  
great ice cream." He smiled.

"I'm glad you're having fun."

"I am. Thank you for doing this for me. If all my  
birthdays were this much fun I'd want to have them  
more often."

"Who says you can't celebrate your birthday more  
often? Life is always worth celebrating, Scully."

Her breath caught at the expression on his face. Such  
a depth of emotion. She wanted nothing more than to  
lean closer and closer till her lips touched his. She  
barely controlled herself, as Mulder clasped her right  
hand and squeezed, before bringing it to his lips.

"Let's get back, Scully. It's getting late," he  
whispered.

She didn't want this night to end, yet she was certain  
Mulder wouldn't accept her invitation to her  
apartment. She knew he wanted her, as much as she  
wanted him, but he wasn't going to act on it yet.

Mulder held her gaze, telling her without words that  
there was no hurry, that they would be together soon,  
but first he wanted to savor every step of the way.

She accepted it even as her body was screaming at her  
to jump him. She understood him, and despite knowing  
it was going to be torture to hold back, she was willing  
to follow his lead, just for the sweetness and  
anticipation of it.

They walked back to the field were their cars were  
parked. For a moment she thought Mulder was going to  
kiss her, but he only stroked her hair. Leaning over,  
he whispered a "Good night" in her ear, leaving her  
body humming with tension. Mulder looked into her  
eyes to gather her reaction, turned, and walked to   
his car.

end of part 1


	2. A Surprise for Dinner

Title: Every Step of the Way (2/?)  
Author: Deia  
Category: V, post-ep, M/S UST (for now)  
Rating: PG  
Feedback:  
Distribution: go ahead, just let me know  
Spoilers: The Unnatural  
Disclaimer: Not mine, not making any money of it  
Summary: The changes in M&S relationship following  
the events of The Unnatural

Author's Note: This is the first part on a serie of  
vignettes and takes place right after the end scene  
of The Unnatural

Thanks to Sallie for being a wonderful and supportive  
friend and beta.

Dedication: This one is for Kimbly. A belated birthday  
present for someone I'm very proud to call my friend.  
Love ya, sweetie.

Every Step of the Way

Part 2: A Surprise for Dinner

Mulder was nervous.  
  
As he walked into their office, the first thing he  
noticed was the look on Scully's face. They had been  
going out on dates - although they called them  
"birthday celebrations" - for 2 months now. He was  
certain they were, for once, on the same page, but he  
still felt like a teenager every time the thought of  
actually making love to his partner invaded his  
conscious thought. Not that he hadn't fantasized about  
it for more years than he cared to count. God knew he  
had played it out in his mind a thousand times, yet  
the reality of it was another thing all together.

The tension had been building steadily between them,  
and Mulder knew sooner or later that last step would  
be taken. He just didn't know it would come so  
quickly once they started down that path with  
certainty, or that he would feel this shaken. There  
was no mistaking what Scully's body language was  
telling him as she gazed blankly at the wall. Her  
finger caressing the card he'd given her, lips parted,  
eyes darkened, skin slightly flushed; it was almost  
more than he could bear at that moment. Mulder thought  
of leaving the office before he did something stupid,  
but when he moved to walk away, her eyes found his and  
he felt his pulse increase. He knew without a doubt  
what she was thinking.  
  
"Scully, what do you like best? Italian or Japanese  
food?"  
  
"I don't know, Mulder. I like them both."  
  
"But you must have a favorite."  
  
Scully thought about it for a few moments. Mulder  
could almost hear her weighing the pros and cons of  
each one, trying to come to a conclusion. Such a  
simple question, but Scully was a methodical person;  
she wouldn't just pick one for the sake of it. She  
would analyze her options and come up with the most  
accurate answer.

"It'd be Italian, then. Why do you ask?"

"A friend of mine is having a birthday, and I was  
wondering if I should take her to an Italian restaurant  
or Japanese restaurant. Thank you, Scully, you were a  
big help." Mulder grinned at her and went back to his  
work, but not before seeing the astonished expression  
on his partner's face. This was going to be fun.  
  
Ever since last Saturday, when Mulder gave Scully  
baseball lessons and ice cream for her 'birthday,' he  
couldn't get the memory of the way her body felt  
pressed against his, out of his mind. He went over the  
whole night in his mind more times than he could  
count, and something Scully said had given him this  
crazy idea.  
  
Mulder wasn't brave enough to ask Scully out, not  
without an excuse. Even though he saw in her eyes that  
she had seen through his ruse on the baseball field  
for what it really was - a chance for them to walk  
this final path, to bring them together in every  
aspect - he was still an insecure man, and it would be  
better if they both had an 'out' if it was necessary.  
  
Close to 5 p.m. Mulder gathered his things and looked  
at her. "Scully, I need to leave a little early today.  
Do you plan on staying much longer?"

"No, I'll just finish this last report and go home  
too."  
  
"Can I ask you a huge favor, then?"  
  
Scully looked annoyed. Of course, he would be annoyed  
too if she asked him to do something for her, while  
she was out with someone else. Even more so since  
last Saturday, but he'd make it up to her later.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I'm expecting a phone call tonight from an informant,  
but as I said, I'm going out with a friend, and I  
thought maybe you could catch this one for me. He  
knows you're my partner and can be trusted, so it  
wouldn't be a problem for you to talk to him."  
  
Now she was really pissed. He thought of telling her  
the truth, but decided to stick to his plan.  
  
"Sure, Mulder," Scully said curtly. "You want me to go  
to your apartment to wait all night for some  
'informant' to call you, while you are having dinner  
with your 'friend.' No problem, I can do that." Yeah,  
she was pissed all right.  
  
"I'll be leaving home at 7 p.m. do you think you can  
be there before that?"  
  
If it was at all possible, Scully looked even angrier  
than before. "Of course, Mulder," she said sweetly,  
"As soon as I leave here I'll go directly to your  
place. Don't worry; you won't have to change your  
plans."  
  
"Thanks, Scully." He put his best grateful face for  
her and she nodded. "See you later, then." She only  
grunted.  
  
An hour and a half later a very irritated Scully  
walked through his door. He was wearing one of his  
best suits, and even his tie was tastefully chosen.  
When she looked up at him at last, he could see the  
hurt in her eyes, and he almost gave up on his act.  
She looked away and put her things on his coffee  
table.  
  
"Are you leaving now?" She tried to sound casual, but  
he could hear the sadness in her voice.  
  
"In a few minutes."  
  
"Okay, I'll be working on some reports while I'm here.  
Do you have any idea what time you'll be back?"  
  
"Not really. Look, I'm sorry to be imposing on you  
like this. I really appreciate what you're doing for  
me."

Scully gave him a weak smile, and turned to set up her  
laptop. He looked at her once more. "Make yourself at  
home, Scully. If you're not here when I come back,  
I'll call you tomorrow."

"All right, have fun."  
  
As soon as Mulder left his place, he called the  
Gunmen.  
  
"Lone Gunmen." Frohike answered at the first ring.  
  
"It's me. I just left my place and she's there. Call  
her in half an hour. Do you have the address of the restaurant?"  
  
"You already asked me a thousand times, Mulder. Don't  
worry."  
  
"I'm not worried."  
  
Frohike snorted. "Of course not."  
  
"I'm not... Forget it. Call me if anything goes  
wrong."  
  
"All right. Mulder?" He knew as soon as he asked  
Frohike to help him that sooner or later he'd use that  
serious tone on him.  
  
"Before you say anything, I won't hurt her."  
  
"I believe you, really I do. I don't want either of  
you to get hurt, and I believe that you're doing the  
right thing."  
  
"But..." Mulder prompted when the silence stretched.  
  
"No 'buts,' just be careful. Your enemies won't  
restrain themselves from playing with your minds when  
they know that your relationship has changed."  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Diana."  
  
He went silent. This issue was still a sore one for  
Mulder, and he didn't want to go there tonight. He  
sighed. "I really have to go now, but thanks for  
everything."  
  
"You're welcome. Just send me a full report on this  
date and we're even." The change in his friend's voice  
lifted Mulder's spirit again, but brought back the  
anxiety he was feeling about this whole charade.  
  
"Dream on, Frohike."  
  
"Exactly what I was planning to do."

Mulder hung up and headed for the restaurant. It  
wasn't very far from his place, so Scully should be  
able to get there shortly after Frohike called her. If  
he could only calm down in the meantime...

When Scully walked into the place 45 minutes later,  
Mulder could hardly keep his breathing even. He saw  
her talking to the host and the man indicating to her  
where the table she wanted was.  
  
As Scully walked between the tables, she looked around  
trying to find the 'informant' she was supposed to  
meet. Mulder's eyes were fixed on her when she finally  
spotted him. She approached his table cautiously and  
asked, "Mulder, what's going on here?"  
  
"Happy birthday, Scully," he said with his most  
charming grin.  
  
She went very still. Mulder thought she might run  
away. Scully took a deep breath and closed her eyes.  
"Did you...? I... Why did you do that?"  
  
"I wanted to surprise you. Sit down, Scully. Everybody  
is looking at us," he said playfully, trying to break  
the tension between them.  
  
Scully looked around, but he knew she wasn't seeing  
anyone. She sat in the chair across from his, still  
baffled. "Mulder, you're crazy."  
  
"Of course I am, but you still like me . Don't you?"  
he added somewhat uneasily.  
  
Her eyes softened and she gave him a shy smile.  
  
"Are you hungry? I've never been to this place before,  
but I heard it's pretty good."  
  
After they ordered, Mulder took her hand. "You're not  
mad, are you?"  
  
"No, but I should be. If you told me we were going out  
to dinner, I'd have prepared myself." Scully made a  
gesture at her clothes.  
  
"What would be the fun of that?" Mulder squeezed her  
hand. "You don't have to worry about it anyway, you're beautiful, Scully."  
  
She blushed and looked away. "Thank you," she  
whispered and then cleared her throat. "The person  
that called me, it was one of the Gunmen, wasn't it?"  
  
Mulder smiled at her. "Frohike."  
  
"Oh God, he's not going to leave this alone, is he?"

"I don't think so, Scully. He wants a full report as  
soon as I get home."  
  
"Don't you dare."  
  
"I wouldn't." He stroked Scully's hand with his thumb,  
and was delighted to hear her contented sigh.

Good food, good wine, his favorite company; Mulder  
didn't think his night could get any better than that.  
They chatted the whole time, sharing stories about  
everything. Their hands had a conversation of their  
own, full of promises and assurances.  
  
Way after midnight, Mulder brought Scully's hand to  
his lips, and she looked at him. "Time to go?" she asked,  
and he nodded.  
  
They walked to their cars with their hands entwined.  
When they reached Scully's, Mulder stopped and looked  
down at her; he saw acceptance in her eyes and was  
relieved. He wanted it all, and he was certain that  
she wouldn't deny him if he made a move at her, but he  
wanted to court her, to give her everything she  
deserved. Scully knew it, and was letting him set the  
pace. Trusting him to lead them where they both wanted  
to go. If at all possible, he loved her even more at  
that moment.  
  
Scully must have seen it in his eyes, because the next  
thing he knew, her lips were softly brushing his. His  
eyes fluttered closed and before he could kiss her  
back he felt her breath close to his ear. "Good night,  
Mulder."  
  
When Mulder opened his eyes Scully was already in her  
car. He looked at her and was rewarded by the most  
beautiful smile he had ever seen, and then she was  
gone.

End of part 2


	3. New Recipes

Title: Every Step of the Way (3/?)  
Author: Deia  
Category: V, post-ep, M/S UST (for now)  
Rating: PG  
Distribution: go ahead, just let me know  
Spoilers: The Unnatural  
Disclaimer: Not mine, not making any money of it  
Summary: The changes in M&S relationship following  
the events of The Unnatural

Thank you sweet Sallie for taking the time to do the beta  
on this story for me.

This story is dedicated to my dear friend Kimbly and to  
all readers of BtS.

Every Step of the Way (3/?)

Part 3: New Recipes  
  
Scully was so lost in thought that she almost missed Mulder  
trying to escape their office. She waved the card at him and  
smiled, "It's still a weekday, you know."  
  
"I know, but I wasn't thinking of going out today, actually..."  
He trailed off, suddenly unsure.  
  
"Actually..." Scully prompted after a few seconds of waiting.  
  
"I was thinking of cooking for you tonight."  
  
Surprise was written all over her face. "Are you serious?"  
  
"Of course, and I promise it won't be just sandwiches. I'll  
make a real dinner."  
  
"What's the problem with just sandwiches?" Scully was trying  
to keep her expression blank, but one look at the sparkle in  
Mulder's eyes and she burst out laughing.

7 weeks earlier

For the fourth time, Scully picked up the phone and put it  
down again on the cradle. Why was it so difficult to talk  
to him all of a sudden? She inhaled deeply and sat down to  
call Mulder, when the phone rang. She nearly jumped with  
the sound. "Hello."

"Hey Scully, it's me."

"Hey yourself."

"What are you doing, Scully?"

"Actually I was about to call you."

"Really? What for?" he sounded like a little boy, and she  
felt a deep wave of affection for her partner.

"It's just that, you know, it's my birthday, and I was  
thinking of inviting you to celebrate it with me." Scully  
felt her face burning and her hands shaking a little. She  
still didn't feel very confident in this flirting game.

"I'd love to. What were you thinking of doing?"

"Well, I was thinking we could have dinner together."

"Two nights in a row? Must be an X-File."

Scully smiled at the excitement in his voice. "Would you  
mind if we stayed at home instead of going out?"

"Not at all. What time should I come over?"

Her first thought was 'Right now,' but decided it wouldn't  
be wise. "Around 8 PM sound good?"

"Sounds great. I'll bring the wine."

A sudden flash of Eddie Van Blundht made Scully shudder, and  
she pushed the memory aside. "Okay, see you soon." Scully  
hung up and went to the kitchen, wondering what she should  
cook for dinner. She looked in her cabinets, but didn't find  
anything appealing. It would be easier to just buy something  
and be done with it, but she wanted to make something special  
for Mulder. The thought gave her pause, and for a moment she  
couldn't believe she was so anxious to impress her partner of  
six years. As if a simple dinner would make any difference in  
the way he felt about her. But she did want everything to be  
perfect tonight. She wanted Mulder to feel how important he  
was to her, and how much she appreciated the effort he was  
putting into making things right between them again.  
  
Scully went grocery shopping, and spent the afternoon preparing  
salmon, a new recipe her mother had given her. Scully never  
understood why her mother insisted on sending her so many  
recipes, must be wishful thinking, she decided.

The next part was dressing. Scully wanted something at the  
same time both casual and beautiful. Most importantly,  
something that wasn't black, if she had such a thing in her  
wardrobe. After about an hour of internal debate, the navy  
blue pants and cream sweater won.  
  
Scully was finishing her hair, when Mulder knocked on her  
door. She hurried to open it, and had to take a firm hold  
of the doorknob to keep from falling over. It should be  
illegal to look that good in such simple attire --black  
jeans, a green turtleneck, and the scrumptious black leather  
jacket. Her mouth went dry as she stood staring at him.  
Mulder smiled at her, and she was sure he might to give her  
a heart attack.  
  
"Hi Scully."  
  
Scully shivered. Was his voice always that husky? She scolded  
herself. She was acting like a schoolgirl. She smiled at him,  
trying to regain her composure.

"Hi Mulder, come on in."

He stepped in and Scully was able to look at the view from  
behind. She gulped. Loudly. Mulder turned, and Scully noticed  
that he had a bottle of wine in one hand and a single pink  
rose in the other. He extended it to her. "Happy birthday,  
Scully."  
  
Scully could feel the heat rise in her cheeks, "Thank you."

Their eyes locked and the heat spread to other parts of her  
body as well. She took a step toward him and said in a low  
voice, "Dinner is almost ready."

"Okay," he said without breaking eye contact.

"Should I put this in the fridge while we wait?"

Mulder looked confused for a few seconds and then it dawned  
on him. "Oh, right." He handled the bottle to her and she  
turned to go to the kitchen. Mulder followed her, and stood  
in the doorway watching her move around.

"Do you need any help?"

"Well, you could set the table."

"Sure."

When Mulder moved to the dinning room, Scully opened the oven  
to see if the fish was ready and felt her heart sink. She  
looked up and cursed inwardly. She had forgotten to start it,  
and there was no way they would be able to wait the two hours  
it took for it to be ready. Was it possible that she had been  
that distracted? It was downright stupid, and she felt awful.

Scully was looking at the fish dejectedly when Mulder entered  
the kitchen again.

"What's wrong, Scully?" He sounded concerned.

"I forgot to start the oven, and it takes two hours for this  
recipe to be ready." Scully sighed and looked at him. She  
could see he was trying hard not to laugh, and asked a little  
more harshly than she intended, "What?"

"Nothing, it's just... Scully, it's not a big deal. We can  
have it tomorrow at lunch, instead. What do you think?"

Scully looked at him and smiled. "Sounds good, but what are  
we going to eat now?"

"Let's make some sandwiches, then we'll sit on the couch, take  
off our shoes, put our feet on the coffee table, and talk until  
the sun rises."  
  
Her smile broadened and she fought the sudden urge to throw  
her arms around him. "I like your idea."

"Good." He smiled back at her, while she put the fish in the  
refrigerator for the next day.

They worked quickly on the sandwiches, and Scully couldn't  
help but notice how comfortable it felt. They moved to the  
living room and sat down to eat. She looked at the table  
that was still set and started laughing.

"What is it?" Mulder asked curiously.

"I was thinking about my mother."

"What about your mother?"

"It's silly. She keeps sending me these recipes, and the  
first time I attempt to make one of them, I forget to  
actually cook it."

Mulder laughed softly, "Oh, but you will. Tomorrow."

Scully looked at him then, "Yes, I will."

She was sure he was going to say something to her, but thought  
better of it. Then he asked in a light tone, "So, how is your  
brother? Does he still hate me with a white-hot passion?"

"Oh, same as usual." She smiled at him. "You should meet  
Charlie though. Maybe he'll even like you, who knows?"

"Tell me about him."

"What about him?"

"I don't know. Anything. We have until dawn to talk, after all."

And talk they did--all night long. At some point, Scully  
started feeling her eyes grow heavy, and she leaned on Mulder's  
shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and before she drifted  
off to sleep, she felt his lips on her forehead and heard his  
whispered "Good night, Scully."

End of Part 3


	4. A Little Taste

Title: Every Step of the Way (4) Author: Deia Category: V, post-ep, M/S UST (for now)  
Rating: PG Feedback: Distribution: go ahead, just let me know Spoilers: The Unnatural Disclaimer: Not mine, not making any money of it Summary: The changes in MS relationship following the events of The Unnatural 

Author's Note: This is the first part on a series of vignettes and takes place right after the end scene of The Unnatural

Thank you sweet Sallie for your never ending support friendship,  
and for doing the beta on this story for me.

This story is dedicated to my dear friend Kimmie. Love you, honey.

* * *

Chapter 4: A Little Taste

When the laughter died, Mulder looked at Scully's bright eyes, and felt a huge wave of affection for his partner. They stayed that way for several moments, just looking at one another. Scully smiled at him then, and asked "What time?"

"The soonest you can make it."

"Eager, aren't we?"

"Very."

Even he could hear the huskiness in his voice. She looked a little disconcerted by his tone, but recovered quickly.

"Let's start working then. I don't want to make you wait."

They started on paperwork, but Mulder couldn't help but think that the next time he woke up with Scully in his arms, the circumstances would be quite different than the last.

* * *

7 weeks earlier

Mulder stirred, turned his face, and felt the sun hit his eyes. He tried to move, but was pinned to the couch. His right arm was numb.  
He looked down and saw Scully sleeping soundly, lying on his right side. He sighed, and reached out with his left hand to stroke her hair. She mumbled something, and snuggled closer to him. The tenderness he felt in that instant was something he had never experienced before. He smiled, and brought her closer to him, until she was sprawled on his chest. When he could feel his right arm again, he lightly rested it on the small of her back. That part of her body he'd claimed as his from the beginning of their partnership.  
Mulder's fingers fluttered on the spot, and he closed his eyes,  
savoring that moment in his mind. He was grateful to have captured it in his memory, to relive and cherish forever.

Knowing that things were about to change in the near future made it that much more special. Mulder couldn't explain it, it just did. They were living through a transition period in their relationship. They were no longer just friends, but they weren't yet lovers. And as ready as he was to take things to the next level, he also felt a little nostalgic when he thought about changing the most significant relationship of his life. They had such a beautiful friendship.  
Mulder had lost count of the number of times he questioned whether starting a romantic relationship with Scully was a wise thing. After their little interlude in the baseball field though, he knew there was no turning back. No matter how self-conscious or awkward they might feel at first, he wanted, needed, Scully in his life in this way. Ultimate happiness was so close now he could almost taste it.

Mulder held Scully in his arms for half an hour, before she woke up.  
She started at first, but when she remembered what had happened the night before, she relaxed again against his chest.

"Morning, Scully."

"Morning," she mumbled, not totally awake yet.

For the second time that day, he felt tenderness wash over him, and decided that the very best way to wake up was with Scully at his side.

"What time is it?"

"I don't know, I'm trapped here on this couch," he said in his best,  
long-suffering voice.

Scully looked up, and made a move to leave the couch, but Mulder quickly put his arms around her.

"Hey, you're not going anywhere."

"I thought I was trapping you on the couch."

He smiled at her, "You are, but I like it."

She smiled back, and rested her head in the crook of his neck, "Do we have to get up?"

"No. We can stay here all day long."

"What about your lunch?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Yet."

"Well, we can think about that when it happens."

"All right."

They sat quietly for another ten minutes, just holding one another,  
when Scully suddenly announced, "I hate to say it, but I really need to get up."

He tightened his arms around her, and she laughed at him. She lifted her face to his, and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Come on, Mulder. Let me up."

"Only if I get another kiss."

She kissed him again, this time lingering for a few more seconds before pulling away. He grunted, and finally let go of her.

"I'll be right back, and then we're making lunch."

"Yes, ma'am"

Mulder looked at his watch, and saw that it was half past eleven already. He looked a little amazed, never expecting to have slept for so long.

Standing up, he walked to the kitchen to start coffee. By the time Scully joined him, it was almost ready.

"Humm...coffee. You read my mind."

"Well, I do know a thing or two about you, after six years."

She smiled at him, and went to the fridge to look for something to eat. "We'll have to wait two hours while the fish cooks, so I'll fix us something to eat now."

"Okay," Mulder said, handing her a mug. Scully made some toast, and Mulder was happy to see jelly, and butter on the table as well. He noticed though, that Scully only had yogurt.

"Is that all you're eating?"

"Let's not start this conversation again, Mulder." She rolled her eyes, but Mulder could see her lips tugging upwards.

"But you'll eat the fish, won't you?"

"Of course."

"What do you want to do while we wait?"

"I haven't thought of anything. You?"

He smiled at her, "Well, we could go run."

"Run?"

"Yeah, it's a beautiful day after all. It'll be fun."

"With these clothes?" She pointed to his jeans and turtleneck.

"I always carry a bag in my car, Scully. You should know that by now."

"Right. Go grab your bag then, while I change."

"Won't you wait for me?"

She just raised her eyebrow and turned toward her bedroom.

Mulder made quick work of bringing his things to Scully's apartment.  
When he opened the door, she was already in the living room.

"That was fast."

"I knew you'd peek if I wasn't ready by the time you came back." The levity in her voice was so rare, it took him a few seconds to answer.

"You wound me, Scully."

She smiled at him, and pushed him toward the bathroom. "Go, and make it quick, or we won't have time to run at all."

"Yes, mom."

Fifteen minutes later, they were walking outside Scully's building.  
It was indeed a beautiful day. When they started running, Mulder had a bit of trouble adapting to his partner's stride, but managed after a few minutes. They were silent the entire time, but it wasn't uncomfortable. They'd share looks, and smiles, but no words-it felt almost intimate.

They returned to Scully's apartment an hour later, feeling refreshed.  
They still had half an hour till the fish was ready, so Scully took a quick shower, followed by Mulder. By the time he left the bathroom,  
Scully had the table set, and there was a delicious smelling fish dinner waiting for him.

Mulder could see the anxiety in Scully's eyes, when he sat down to eat. She was trying to be subtle, but he could feel her waiting,  
studying his face. Of course, she'd be able to tell if he didn't like the meal just by looking at him, and he could hardly believe that she was reacting this way. Mulder couldn't remember the last time he felt this kind of pressure over dinner.

Finally he took the first bite, and was relieved to discover that the salmon was as delicious as it smelled. He felt Scully relax instantly, and he relaxed as well. "It's really good, Scully. Maybe we should test all your mother's recipes."

"Only if we take turns cooking."

"I'll think about it."

After they finished, and cleaned the dishes, they went back to the living room. They sat together, and Scully leaned her head on Mulder's shoulder. "Tired?"

"A little."

"Why don't you take a nap. I'll catch one of the games on TV."

"All right."

A few minutes later, she was lightly snoring in his arms for the second time that day. Mulder found himself dividing his attention between baseball, and watching Scully sleep. He didn't have much time to enjoy himself, though, as Scully was awakened twenty minutes later by the ringing of her phone. She grudgingly stood to answer it.

"Hello... Oh hi, Mom."

Mulder smiled, he liked Mrs. Scully a lot.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I completely forgot. No, it's okay. I'll pick you up in..." She looked at her watch, "an hour."

Mulder felt his heart sink with what he knew was coming, but he couldn't really complain. He'd spent most of his weekend with Scully,  
after all. He shouldn't be so selfish, and he still really liked Mrs.  
Scully, really, just not very much at the moment.

Scully turned to him with a remorseful look on her face. "I'm sorry,  
Mulder. I made plans with my mother for this evening weeks ago, and she's waiting for me."

"No need to apologize, Scully. You'd have to throw me out sooner or later."

"I don't want to throw you out."

She was so serious, that the smile on his face faded. He walked to her, and held her in his arms. "Maybe one day, you won't have to."

Looking up at him, Scully said, "Soon."

His heartbeat beat faster, and he leaned toward Scully in return.  
"Soon." Their lips touched, and this time he lingered, enjoying the feeling of their connection. Before he could indulge the urge to deepen the kiss, he sucked lightly on her bottom lip, making her whimper.

"See you tomorrow," Mulder whispered against her mouth. When he stepped back he saw the dazed look on her face, and knew that it probably matched his own. Turning around, he grabbed his bag, and left Scully's apartment, already planning their next date.

End of part 4

A.N. I know it's been awhile. I thought I had put this chapter up weeks ago. Chapter 5 is in beta process, so you'll have another update soon.  



	5. Bed and Breakfast

Chapter 5

Scully could have sworn that there had never been a morning as long as that one. She could feel Mulder's eyes on her from time to time, and she couldn't help but feel the heat spreading through her body. At noon she needed to leave the office, to breathe. The charged air in the basement room was almost suffocating. She stood up, grabbing her wallet.

"I'm going to get some lunch." Scully looked at Mulder, questioning with her eyes whether he wanted to join her.

"I think I'll stay. I need to finish up a few things."

Scully looked at him more closely; she had seen that look before, and in that moment she knew that whatever he needed to finish wasn't work related.

5 weeks before

A month ago, being a Federal Agent was pretty much Scully's whole life. She didn't complain about the amount of work, or how much time she spent in the field. However, as a result of the changes of the past few weeks, Scully caught herself cursing her superiors for assuming that she didn't have a personal life.

She and Mulder had been on a case for the past ten days that had put an end to their plans for the previous weekend. Scully knew it'd happen sooner or later and was okay with it, in theory.

She had looked forward to enjoying the coming weekend with Mulder by her side.What's more, she wanted to be with him. They had planned on spending Saturday on the beach, eating sea food, walking on the sand, and enjoying each other's company. It was almost amusing how much Scully had come to long for those stolen moments. It was new and exciting. It had been such a long time since she had something to look forward to, that the feeling was overwhelming sometimes.

So, the beach was the plan, but at the end of Friday Scully had been called to Skinner's office. He had an autopsy for her to do the next day at noon, when the body would be arriving. She tried to talk Skinner into letting someone else handle the post-mortem, but it seemed that they were short of personnel in Quantico.

What Skinner "forgot" to mention was there wasn't only one body waiting for her, but three. Spending the afternoon, and most of the night, doing autopsies was enough to put Scully in a very bad mood.

She got home exhausted around 11 p.m. and found two messages on her answering machine. Mulder, no doubt. She hit the "play" button and waited for her partner's voice to make her at least feel a bit better.

"Hi, Scully, it's me. If you get home early, call me. We can have dinner or something."

Scully sighed; she'd have loved that.

The next message wasn't quite as hopeful. "Well, I'm guessing you won't be home anytime soon. I'm going to see the guys. If you want to talk when you get home, you know where to find me."

At least someone was having fun tonight, Scully thought. She debated with herself whether she should call him. She was so tired, she'd love nothing more than to take a hot shower and go to bed. Scully decided to call later when she was in bed lying down, and walked to the bathroom to take her shower.

Scully was only half awake when she entered her bedroom again. She clumsily put on her pajamas, and was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

When Scully woke the next day, she could feel the muscles on her back, tense and aching. She groaned, and silently cursed Skinner again.

Scully was still mustering the will to leave her bed, when the phone rang. She extended her arm, and picked up the receiver.

"Hello."

"Morning, Sunshine."

"Morning."

"Did I wake you?"

"No, but almost."

"Bad day at Quantico?"

"You could say that."

"I was wondering if we could still go to the beach today, but from the sound of your voice I think you're too tired for that."

"I am. I'm sorry, Mulder. I don't even know if I can stand up. My back is killing me."

There was a silence, then Mulder asked almost tentatively, "Would you mind if I came over? I could take care of you today."

Scully felt her lips curving in a smile. "I'd like that."

"Really?" He sounded incredulous, and Scully had to stifle a laugh.

"Yes, really."

"Okay, then. I'll bring breakfast."

"Good, because I'm in no condition to prepare anything."

"See you soon."

They both hung up and Scully looked at her watch. It was a little after 10 A.M. She should get up and change at least, but she was feeling too lazy to move. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, Mulder was sitting on her bed, looking at her and smiling.

"You really are tired, aren't you?"

Scully sighed, and tried to sit up, wincing at the movement. Mulder helped her, putting some pillows behind her, and she looked at him gratefully.

"Mulder, I had to do three autopsies yesterday. And after ten days of field work, I guess it's really gotten to me. I feel like an old lady.

Mulder looked at her affectionately, and kissed her forehead.

"I brought you breakfast." He leaned over the side of her bed, and she noticed he had a tray with what she'd call a feast.

"You're going to eat, too, right?"

"Of course."

She patted the other side of her bed, and he took his shoes off, walked around, and sat at her side, leaning against the headboard.

While they ate, Mulder told her about his visit with the Gunmen. She always found it comical how much they behaved like boys when they gathered to play video games.

After they finished, Mulder put the tray on the floor, and turned to Scully. "Why don't I run you a bath, and while you soak in the tub, I'll wash the dishes.

"Mulder, you don't have…"

"I know that; I want to. You said I could take care of you."

"In that case, I'll take you up on your offer."

"Great."

"You do know I'll probably stay in the tub for a while, don't you?"

"I know. Don't worry, I need to take care of a few things."

"What kind of things?"

Mulder only looked at her, and smiled. He turned, and made a move to stand up, but Scully's hand on his arm stopped him.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

He looked at her puzzled, but realized what she meant after a moment.

"Happy birthday, Scully." He leaned over and gave her a soft, chaste kiss on the lips. He ran his hand over her hair, and whispered, "I'll be right back."

She followed him with her eyes. God, she had missed this. Their little game was becoming addicting. After each new encounter, she'd catch herself yearning for more. Scully didn't know how much longer they'd be able to keep things as innocent as they were at the moment. She only knew that before the day was over, she'd have a real kiss from Mulder.

End of chapter 5


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